326 POWERS AND cONTESTS or 'FLESH AND SPIRIT. objects or occasions are not to be found ? The day-light opens before us the scenes of a vain world, crowded with ten thousand allurements to sin ; nor can the shadows.of the night conceal or banish those temptations that attack us at other avenues besides the eye. A wanton song, an immodest touch, the scent of dainty Meats, or the remembered relish of delicious wines, are sufficient to provoke the fleshly appetites, and to iriflame the soul to the pursuit -of iniquity. Thus every sense has a hand in the convey- ance of sin to the spirit. Not the board, tier the'bed, notthe shop, nor the exchange no not the closetnor the temples of worship, are secure from temptations that assault the soul,-by means of this wretched flesh. We are in danger when in the midst of company ; nor are we safe when solitary and alone. I-low often have eyes and ears been theunhappy` torches tokindle either unlawful love, or ma- liceandrevengi, according as a man bath been casually led with- in sight or hearing of the person that has allured him to pleasure, or put him to paid ? Pictures and stories have many a time be- come fatal instruments of the same mischief, , When we sit ut a well- spread table, does not our palate often tempt u$ to improper food, and to riot upon a beloved( :dish ? We venture to taste of the luscious compound, -even though we suspect, or are almost certain, ithas sickness or disease lurking in it ; and sometimes we indulge the freedom of appetite in themost wholesome provisions to a vicious - excess and surfeit. How many a wretch is enticed to become a glutton, or a drunkard, or to rush on to the pursuit of adultery and polluted pleasure, by passing through some ensnar- ing occurrences of life, and having the soul united to the sinful flesh ? The wanton eye, and the greedy palate are tempting en- gines, that draw the mind.away to fo¡bitiden objects._ It is upon this account that our blessedLord gives advice in his excellent sermon c df thy right-eye offend thee, pluck it out;_ or, ¡pity right-hand oft" nd thee,.cut.it o/J,,aud cost them both away from thee ;far it ispro/itablefor theeMat pire cf thymembers should Perish, and not that.14 whole body should be cast into hell ; Mat. v. 29, 30. And though our Lord may be supposed here to speak metaphorically, and to bid us part with thosebeloved sins that are dearto us as an hand or an eye, yet he designs to teach us that the eye, and the hand and fleshly powers, may become wretched Oc- casions ofsin to us ; and.if there were no other way to avoid the danger, it is better tobear the pain of parting with those mis- chieyaua and oflensive members, than yield to their temptations, and rushon to guilt and eternal misery.. I might here also take notice, that the very presence of all sorts ofcorporeal objects, even the most necessary and the most innocent,may become occasions ofsin, at special seasons ; as when we are engaged in any part Of dieipe worship, the common, and
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